Lending To Friends And Family

There can be all sorts of reasons for lending money to friends or family, from helping loved ones through a tough time, to perhaps putting a deposit down on a property, helping out with home alterations or assisting in the purchase of a car. Understandably we all prefer to take it on trust that we will be repaid and that there won't be any falling out. Things can go wrong, however. We live in tough economic times. The person you lend to might suffer a relationship breakdown or become one of the increasing number who lose their job or are made bankrupt. If you are lending a modest sum of money, which you feel you can afford to lose with good grace, that is one thing. But what about a larger sum of money which…

Tackling Pregnancy And Maternity Discrimination In The Workplace

As an employer it can be difficult to balance the needs of your business with the rights of employees. This is particularly true in relation to pregnancy and maternity rights.  However, most employers would agree that it is in their interests to support employees who are pregnant or on maternity leave. If an employee feels they have been treated unfairly due to their pregnancy or maternity leave, they may be entitled to make a discrimination claim. Gillian Reid, employment law specialist at Ware & Kay Solicitors in York & Wetherby, looks at the rights of pregnant employees, and those on maternity leave, and advises how employers can avoid discrimination claims. The different types of discrimination Pregnancy and maternity are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination in the workplace. Pregnancy and maternity…

Risks Of Diy Lpas

Local Solicitor Sian Foster from Ware & Kay Solicitors based in York, Wetherby & Malton has joined a number of organisations representing older and vulnerable people to raise serious concerns around the Government's online tool for creating Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs). An LPA is a powerful legal document that allows a person to appoint trusted individuals to make important decisions about care and finances on their behalf, in the event of a loss of mental capacity through an accident or illness such as dementia. In May 2014, the Government's Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) launched its online LPA tool, which it claims allows people to create the documents without the need for professional advice from a solicitor. But a new report, published by a coalition of organisations led by SFE, warns that anyone…

Employment Law Changes April 2016

Employment law is always changing and, as an employer, you need to stay up to date with developments in order to ensure that you are acting lawfully. Most employment law changes take place in April and October each year. Gillian Reid, Head of Employment at Ware & Kay Solicitors in York & Wetherby, looks at what is happening in April 2016 and what you need to do. National living wage The introduction of the national living wage on 1 April 2016 is the biggest change to occur in April. It will be payable to workers who are aged 25 and over and the initial rate will be £7.20 per hour. It is effectively a top-up rate of the national minimum wage. It has been estimated that 50 per cent of employers will need to increase…